Printing apparatus and printing method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11027564-B2
Application number	US-202016810244-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 5, 2020
Priority date	Mar 8, 2019
Publication date	Jun 8, 2021
Grant date	Jun 8, 2021

Abstract

In a printing apparatus, a controller is configured to control a printing unit such that printing is started after a transport distance of the substrate reaches a pre-discharge transport distance, in which the pre-discharge transport distance is set to a value not less than a first longest distance, provided that a transport distance in a condition in which the transport distance is a longest distance among conditions 1, 2, and 3 provided below is the first longest distance. Condition 1: a transport distance until a region of the substrate that was nipped between a front driving roller and a nip roller passes through a printing head disposed most downstream in a transport path of the substrate, Condition 2: a transport distance until a transport speed of the substrate becomes constant, and Condition 3: a transport distance until tension of the substrate being transported becomes stable.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A printing apparatus configured to transport a substrate in a roll-to-roll scheme,
the printing apparatus comprising:
a controller;
a printing unit including a printing head; and
a front driving roller and a nip roller disposed upstream of the printing unit and configured to nip and transport the substrate, wherein
the controller is configured to control the printing unit such that a transport of the substrate is started from a state where the transport of the substrate is stopped and printing is started after a transport distance of the substrate reaches a pre-discharge transport distance, wherein
the pre-discharge transport distance is set to a value not less than a first longest distance, provided that a transport distance in a condition, in which the transport distance is a longest distance, among Conditions 1, 2, and 3 provided below is the first longest distance wherein
Condition 1 is a transport distance until a region of the substrate that was nipped between the front driving roller and the nip roller passes through the printing head disposed most downstream in a transport path of the substrate,
Condition 2 is a transport distance until a transport speed of the substrate becomes constant, and
Condition 3 is a transport distance until tension of the substrate being transported becomes stable.

2. The printing apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising a pre-treatment unit disposed upstream of the printing unit in a transport path of the substrate and configured to perform pre-treatment on the substrate,
the printing apparatus having
a first mode for performing printing on the substrate by the printing unit without performing the pre-treatment on the substrate by the pre-treatment unit, and
a second mode for performing printing on the substrate by the printing unit after performing the pre-treatment on the substrate using the pre-treatment unit, wherein
when the first mode is selected, the pre-discharge transport distance is set to a value not less than the first longest distance, and
when the second mode is selected, the pre-discharge transport distance is set to a value not less than a second longest distance, provided that a transport distance in a condition, in which the transport distance is a longest distance, among the Conditions 1 and 3 and Condition 4 provided below is the second longest distance, wherein
Condition 4 is a transport distance until the transport speed becomes constant from a start of transport of the substrate, plus a transport distance until a leading end portion of a region pre-treated with the pre-treatment unit passes through the printing head disposed most downstream after the transport speed becomes constant.

3. The printing apparatus according to claim 2 , comprising a table in which whether the pre-treatment is performed, an acceleration rate until a transport speed of the substrate becomes constant, and a printing speed set as the transport speed of the substrate, as printing conditions when printing is performed, are associated with the pre-discharge transport distance according to the printing conditions, wherein
the controller is configured, when performing printing, to collate the printing conditions with the table to set the pre-discharge transport distance.

4. A printing method of a printing apparatus,
the printing apparatus including:
a controller;
a printing unit including a printing head; and
a front driving roller and a nip roller disposed upstream of the printing unit and configured to nip and transport the substrate, and
the printing apparatus being configured to transport the substrate in a roll-to-roll scheme, wherein
the controller controls the printing unit such that a transport of the substrate is started from a state where the transport of the substrate is stopped and printing is started after a transport distance of the substrate reaches a pre-discharge transport distance, and wherein
the printing method comprises a first pre-discharge transport distance setting step for setting the pre-discharge transport distance to a value not less than a first longest distance, provided that a transport distance in a condition, in which the transport distance is a longest distance, among Conditions 1, 2, and 3 provided below is the first longest distance, wherein
Condition 1 is a transport distance until a region of the substrate that was nipped between the front driving roller and the nip roller passes through the printing head disposed most downstream in a transport path of the substrate,
Condition 2 is a transport distance until a transport speed of the substrate becomes constant, and
Condition 3 is a transport distance until tension of the substrate being transported becomes stable.

5. The printing method according to claim 4 , comprising
a pre-treatment unit disposed upstream of the printing unit in a transport path of the substrate and configured to perform pre-treatment on the substrate,
the printing method including
a first mode for performing printing on the substrate by the printing unit without performing the pre-treatment on the substrate by the pre-treatment unit, and
a second mode for performing printing on the substrate by the printing unit after performing the pre-treatment on the substrate using the pre-treatment unit, wherein
the printing method comprises
a first pre-discharge transport distance setting step for setting, by the controller, the pre-discharge transport distance to a value not less than the first longest distance when the first mode is selected, and
a second pre-discharge transport distance setting step for setting, by the controller, the pre-discharge transport distance to a value not less than a second longest distance when the second mode is selected, provided that a transport distance in a condition, in which the transport distance is a longest distance, among the Conditions 1 and 3 and Condition 4 provided below is the second longest distance, wherein
Condition 4 is a transport distance until the transport speed becomes constant from a start of transport of the substrate, plus a transport distance until a leading end portion of a region pre-treated with the pre-treatment unit passes through the printing head disposed most downstream after the transport speed becomes constant.

6. The printing method according to claim 5 , comprising
a table in which whether the pre-treatment is performed, an acceleration rate until a transport speed of the substrate becomes constant, and a printing speed set as the transport speed of the substrate, as printing conditions when printing is performed, are associated with the pre-discharge transport distance according to the printing conditions, wherein
the printing method comprises a first pre-discharge transport distance setting step and a second pre-discharge transport distance setting step for collating the printing conditions with the table to set the pre-discharge transport distance when printing is performed.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Imamura Atsushi
• Yamada Jun
• Kitahara Masashi

Classifications

• B41J2/2117

  Ejecting white liquids · CPC title

• B41J2/2114

  Ejecting specialized liquids, e.g. transparent or processing liquids (B41J2/211 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B41J2/2132

  Print quality control characterised by dot disposition, e.g. for reducing white stripes or banding (methods for local corrections by dot omission, image edge enhancement, or multi-pass mask selection G06K15/102; colour conversion H04N1/40) · CPC title

• B41J29/38

  Drives, motors, controls or automatic cut-off devices for the entire printing mechanism · CPC title

• B41J15/16 Primary

  Means for tensioning or winding the web · CPC title